Campanula plant named &#39;PKM06&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Campanula  plant named ‘PKM06’, characterized by its compact plant habit; globular plant form; vigorous growth habit; double/filled light violet-blue flowers and small leaves.

Latin name of genus and species of the plant claimed: Campanula hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘PKM06’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Campanula hybrid plant, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘PKM06’.

The new Campanula, ‘PKM06’ is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Christian Hald Madsen, in Søhus, Denmark. The new Campanula originated from a planned cross between two Campanula hybrids; the female parent being an unnamed, proprietary Campanula variety (unpatented) and the male parent being an unnamed, proprietary Campanula variety (unpatented). The initial crossing was performed in April 2014 by the Inventor, followed by further testing after vegetative propagation since then. The inventor selected ‘PKM06’ on the basis of blue double flowers and compact growth habit.

Asexual reproduction of the new Campanula cultivar by terminal cuttings has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true-to-type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘PKM06’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘PKM06’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit with stiff stems.     -   2. Bushy globular plant form.     -   3. Vigorous growth habit, but still needing less chemical growth         retardation.     -   4. Double light violet-blue flowers.

Plants of the cultivar ‘PKM06’ can be compared to the unpatented cultivar Campanula×haydlodgensis ‘Blue Wonder’ and ‘PKM07’. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the inventor in Søhus, Denmark, plants of the instant cultivar ‘PKM06’ and plants of the cultivars ‘Blue Wonder’ and ‘PKM07’ differ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of ‘PKM06’ have larger flowers than ‘Blue Wonder’.     -   2. Plants of ‘PKM06’ have larger leaves than ‘Blue Wonder’.     -   3. Plants of ‘PKM06’ have a more upright plant habit than ‘Blue         Wonder’.     -   4. Plants of ‘PKM06’ have lighter colored flowers than ‘PKM07’.     -   5. Plants of ‘PKM06’ are less compact growing than ‘PKM07’.

Data on plants of the parent varieties are no longer available for comparison with plants of the new cultivar Campanula ‘PKM06’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Campanula ‘PKM06’, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which more accurately describe the actual colors of ‘PKM06’.

FIG. 1 comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘PKM06’ grown in a 10.5 cm pot.

FIG. 2 comprises a close-up view of inflorescence of ‘PKM06’.

FIG. 3 comprises a close-up view of flowers of ‘PKM06’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Campanula ‘PKM06’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environment such as growth regulator treatment, temperature, light intensity, day length, and fertility level without any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, together with the following observations, measurements and values describe plants of the new Campanula ‘PKM06’ as grown under greenhouse conditions.

The age of the ‘PKM06’ plants described is 3 months after propagation. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), 5^(th) edition, except where general colors of ordinary significance are used.

-   Classification:     -   -   Botanical.—Campanula interspecific hybrid. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed parent.—Campanula unpatented proprietary             selection.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Campanula unpatented proprietary             selection. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 14 days at 18 to 21° C.             in tunnels in a greenhouse.         -   Root description.—Fine, well branched. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Upright plant habit. Double to filled wide Campanulate             flowers in panicles. Freely branching with lateral branches             forming at every node.         -   Crop time.—After rooting, about 12 weeks are required to             produce finished flowering plants in 10.5 cm pots.         -   Plant height (from soil level to top of plant plane).—About             16 cm. Depending on growth conditions.         -   Plant width.—About 25 cm. Depending on growth conditions.         -   Vigor.—Vigorous growth rate. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Basal leaf shape.—Single, dentate, cordiform, palmate             venation.         -   Leaf shape (upper part).—Ovate.         -   Leaf blade length.—up to 3 cm. Longest in the basal part of             the plant.         -   Leaf blade width.—up to 3 cm. Widest in the basal part of             the plant.         -   Petiole length.—up to 4 cm. Longest in the basal part of the             plant.         -   Apex.—obtuse.         -   Base.—truncate to slightly cordate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture.—Glabrous, stiff.         -   Color.—Upper Surface, RHS N137A, Green Lower Surface, RHS             138B (Green).         -   Venation color.—similar or lighter green than leaf blade,             but areas too small to determine R.H.S. values. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Single, upright, double to             filled flowers in panicles with many flowers at lateral             branches, flowers with star shaped calyx.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous throughout spring and             summer. Season can be extended through long day treatments,             no vernalization needed.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers up to three weeks.             Flowers persistent.         -   Inflorescence size.—Length: up to 17 cm.         -   Flowers.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: up to 3 cm. Layers             of corollas: 3-5.         -   Corolla.—Length of tube: up to 10 mm. Length of lobe: up to             10 mm. Width of lobe: 10 mm. Tip of lobe: acute and twisted.         -   Corolla color.—Upper and Lower surfaces, R.H.S. between 91A             and 92B, violet-blue.         -   Sepals.—: Arrangement: Free and sessile. Quantity per             flower: 5. Length: 8 mm. Width: 1-2 mm. Overall shape:             Triangular. Tip: Acute. Margin: Entire. Color (mature and             immature): Upper and lower surfaces: Green (areas too small             to give R.H.S. values). Pedicel: Length: up to 3 cm.             Diameter: up to 2 mm. Color: light green. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil and Stigma: Shape: often malformed. Color:             White green tip before opening. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Campanula plant named ‘PKM06’, as illustrated and described herein. 